Underframe for freight-cars.



E. G. GHBNGWETHQJ. J. fAcKER L G; A. HULL.A

UNDERFRAME` FREIGHT GARS.'-4

PPLIOATIOH' FILED Mugs, 1914. A l

Patented Dec. 29, vgv.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

@HUN

(IIIIIIINI' E. G. GHENOWET'H, J. J. ACKER & G. A. HULL.

UNDERFRAME' PGE FREIGHT GARS.

4 SHEETS-WEET z.

Patented Deo. 29, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED MA-YIS, 1914.

4 SHETS-SHBET 3.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914 UNDERFRAME PoR FREIGHT GARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1914..

1M if! 1|* 1l! E. G. GHBNOWETH, J. J. AGKER 6L G. A. HULL.

E. G. CHENOWETH, J. J. ACKER &`G. A. HULL.

y UNDBRFRAME for. FREIGHT GARS.

APPLIGMION FILED MAY 1a, 19.14.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914-.,

unrnaii sfr-arias rauen union;

EDWIN Gr. CHENOWETH, OF BLUE ISLAND, JULIUS J'. ACKER, OF CHICGO, AND GEORGE A. HULL, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedDcc. 29, inria..

Application tiled May 13, 1914. Serial No. 838,192.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, EDWIN G. CHEN()- wE'rH, JULiL's J. Aurina, and Geonon A.. HULL, citizens of the United States, residing at Blue island, in the county of Cook; Chicago, in the county of Cook, and Moline.l in the county of Rock Island, respectively, all in the State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Underframes for Freight-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description..

Our invention relates to underframes of cars, and particularly to cars having wooden superstructures.

The greatest strain to which a freight car is subjected is along the line of its baclebone or center-sill, and,therefore, the greatest reason for thepreference now being displayed verse and load strains.

for steel cars is due to the steel construction of its center-sill. The weight of an all steel freight car and the increased cost of transporting the same malte it desirable to provide an improved underframe for cars that will permit the use of a wooden superstructure, and thus greatly decrease the weight of the car without greatly diminishing the strength. of thesame, or in other words to produce the most effective maximum strength consistent with the greatest. lightness of the car, and thus reduce running expense.

The object of our invention is to greatly strengthen the double woodenhenter-sill of a freight car possessing a wooden superstructure by means'that not only strengthen each -.member of the said center-sill, but unite them into practically a single center-sill., capable `of resisting both longitudinal. trans- These and other advantages we obtain by the means hereinafter fully described and as particularly pointed out .in the claims. j

ln' the drawings: Figure l is va plan view of half of an endv portion of a car underframe embodying our invention.` F ig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal central section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a continuation of the vertical longitudinal central section, shown inA Fig. 0 illustrating the construction of the portion of the underframe located between the bolster thereof. l41 ig. 3 is a transverse section .taken on dotted line 3ea, Fig. 3.

Fig. 4 .is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken on dotted line lf-4, Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6, S, 9, l0 and ll are, respectively, transverse sections of modified constructions of our improved center sill, taken on the transverse plane 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. l2 is a plan view of a fragment of our improvements showing a modified construction thereof. Fig. 13 shows yet another' modified construction of our improvements.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the end-sill, B the side-sill, C the longitudinal ioor timbers, C the iooring andk'l). D. the parallel wooden center-sills. The end-l sill may have an outer metal face-plate a, if desired, and also a wooden buffer-block A with an outer metal'facing, but this construct-ion may be modified or dispensed with altogether in so far as our particular improvements are concerned. When used, however, plate a is held in place, preferablv, by ldngitudinal bolts a that extend from crid to end of the underframe through the endsill and plate, and are tightened by suitable. nuts on their screw-threaded ends, between which and said plate suitable .washers a? areV sters andare bolted or otherwise secured thereto, but the center-sills D rest on and are secured to suitable shaped plates 1),. Z), the

horizontal portions of which latter extendI beyond the outer longitudinal edge of the center-sill and are riveted to the bolsters. The inner longitudinal edges c of these plates are flanged .upward and lap against and are sunk into depressions in the under surfaces and in the depressions in the inner vertical surfaces of the center-sills above the holsters.

Between the bolster-s, the center-sills are reinforced by suitable angle-beams that lap against the under and linner surfaces of the same, and are secured thereto by meansl of vertically disposed bolts located at suitable intervals apart. At their ends, the vertical portions of these angle-irons. G are cut away and terminate a short distance back of the holsters, but their horizontal portions extend and have their end'edges lo practico i ioo

' so disposed that its web 1s horizontal and its flanges are riveted or otherwise secured' cally butt against the adjacent longitudinal edge of thetupper flange of the bolster.

Between the end edges of the vertical portions of the angle-beams G and the end-sill of the car the inner opposing surfaces, of the.c'entersills are faced by a metal plate H, whichv latter immediatel f Ain front of the .bolster is dropped'down so that its lower edge is just above-the horizpntal plane of the under side of the .center of the bolster. The part of this plate H, thus increased in depth, extends forward and the upper portion of its forward end is cutaway and the lower portion passed under the end-sill and suitably secured to the stirrup al for the dra w-ba r. Plates H constitute a drop-frame for the support of the dra ft-rigging of the under-frame, and they may be connected by a tie-plate e and, if desired, by a longitudinally disposed supporting-plate J for the followers of the vdraft-rigging springs (not shown). p Besides the 'reinforcement of the centersills by the angle-beams G between the holsters and, plates J, between the ends of said angle--beamsG and the end-sills, they are further reinforced-and braced practically from one end of the car to the other by an I-beam I. This I-beam i's interposed between and connects Ithe center-sill, and it is to angle-beams' G.' In the preferred form of our invention, the ends of this I-beam I do not contact with theV this could be done, which the supporting elements of the draftend-sills, although 'rigging are assembled this I-beam does not materially strengthen the back-bone of the underframe and assistlin transmitting the longitudinal shocks and strains from the draft-rigging at one end of the underframe vto .the draft-rigging at the other end, in

such manner as to greatly relieve the wooden SIM d and rivetedftogether. l

superstructure of the car. A

The employment of the Lbeam reinforcement between the ends of the car practically results in a single center-sill, and it is the equivalent of the single .center-sill in every respect, excepting th: t it does not impart the shocks Vand strain, [that are transmitted through it to the Hoor of the car in the same manner that. a single center-sill would. rIhis I-beam reinforcement may be constructed in a great variety of ways. For instance, as shown i `F ig. 5 of the drawings, it lmay he built up Iflom a web 2 consisting (ify a fiat plate, and anges 3, 3, consisting of sti flener angle-bean riveted thereto. In Figs. 6 and 8 of the d'awings, the built-up I-beam .section consists if two corresponding Npllersteel channels 4, in the former, and

two corresponding concaved or bent chan' nels 5, 5, in the latter, placed back to back lwith the legs 13 of the lowermost bars sandbut owing to the wayinA ,where the Weight of v In Fig. 7 of the drawings, said I-beam section consists of two steel channels G, G, placed back to back and spaced apart by a Hat plate filler 7.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings, the built-up I- beam section is shown to consist of a rolled steel channel beam 9 and a concaved plate or bent channel 10,-thus practically combining. both features of the section shown in Figs. 6 and 8.

In Fig. 11 of -the drawings, the I-beam section is shown to consist of four Z-bars 12, 12 and 13, 13,'so combined that one'leg of each are arranged parallel to each other wiched between the legs of the uppermost bars 12 and then secured together.

In Fig. 13 of the drawings, the built-up I- beam section is shown to consist of an upper channel 14, which has its horizontal 'web resting upon the upper horizontal branches of' corresponding Z-bars 15, 15, the lengths of which correspond to one-half of the distance between center-sills D. Underneath these upper horizontal branches of said Z- bars, a channel-beam 16 is placed, and the web of this lower-channel bar and the web of the upper channel barare secured to the up'per horizontal branches of said Z-bars by rivets. The modification shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings ractically makes one integral element o that which, in the preferred form of our invention, consisted of the angle-ironsGand the I-bealns Land constitutes a very strong and ldurable element for the reinforcement of the center-sills, and the strengthening of the backbone of the car.

We consider any one of these lebeams, whether solid 'or built-up, or any other metal element substituted therefor, when 105 combined with the other.elements in' the manner and for the purpose hereinbcfore set forth, as coming within the scope of our invention.

W'hile we milch prefer the use of the 110 angle-beams G to reinforce the center-sills D, D, between the holsters, yet, if desired, and particularly if more resilience is sought, said angle-beams G can be dispensed with a d angle-iron brackets K, K, as shown in 115 Fig. 12 of the drawings, substituted therefor and placed at state intervals apart with their vertical portions riveted to the flanges I of the I`beam reinforcements I, and their longitudinal' portions bolted or otherwise 120 secured to the center-sills D.

In Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, the rear ends of the plate H are shown to extend to and practically abut .against the web of the bolster on either side of the center of length 125 ofthe latter, and to be connected thereto by means of angles M. IVe prefer this construction because it assembles the various elements of the under-frame at the point the load is transmitted 130 vlongitudinally disposed I-hea'ni section the web of which is horizontal and which extends from end to end 'of the underframe over the holsters, and metal angles. the ends of which terminate between the holsters and to which the lianges -of said I-beam section are suitably secured. c

2. An underframe for cars comprising holsters, a built-'up center-sill including a.

' longitudinally disposed solid I-beam section,

the web of which is horizontally disposedK and which extends from end to endk of the underfraine, and metal angles the ends` of which terminate betweeny said holsters.

3. An underfram'e for cars comprising holsters, a built-up center-sill including a 'longtudinallj7 disposed section extending substantially from end to end of the underframe over said holsters, and metal angles the ends of which termi-nate between the holsters and to which 'the flanges of said -I-beani section are suitably1 secured.

4. An under-frame j for cars comprising holsters,l center-sills extending from end to end of the car over said holsters, a longitu- I dinally disposed I-hearn section the 'web of which is horizontal extending from end to end of the car between said center-sills, and means terminating between said holsters for connecting the flanges of said Lbeam section to said center-sills.

45. An underfraine for carscoinprising holsters, huilt-up center-'sills comprising wooden beams extending from end to end of the car over said `holsters and metal beams applied lto the inner Vertical sides thereof, and a longitudinally. disposed 1-bcamsec tion the web of which ia horizontal and which extends from end to end of the car between said center sills and is secured thereto. y

6. An under-frame for cars comprising holsters, builtsup center-sills comprising wooden beams extending from end to end of the car over said holsters and metal beams applied to the inner vvertical -sides thereof,

a' longitudinall)7 disposed I-heam section the web of which is horizontal and which extends frorn end to end of the car between said center sills and is secured thereto, and drop-plates interposed between said built up center-sills and I-heam section that extend from the holsters to the end-sills.

7. Air-underframe for cars comprising end sills. holsters, center sills extending from end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I-hoam section the weh of which is horizontal and extends from end to end of the l' underframe over said holsters and has its ends terminate adjacent said end-sills, angleirons interposed between said section and center-sills and terminating between said holsters and drop-plates interposed between said section and 'center-sills, and having the lower portion of their rear ends cut awayA and the upper portion extending 'backward ofer the holsters.

8. An underframe for cars comprising end-sills. holsters, center-sills extending from endsill to end-sill, a` longitudinal I-heam section the web of which is horizontal and extends from end to end of the underframe over said holsters, and has its -ends terminate adjacent said end-sills, angleirons interposed between said section and center-sills and terminating between said holsters and drop-plates interposed between said section and center-sills from the endsills and having the upper portions of their forward ends cut awayand extending for ward under the end-sills.

9. An under-frame for cars comprising end-sills, holsters, center-sills extending vfrom end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I-heam section theweb of which is horizontal and extends over said holsters and has its ends terminate adjacent said end sills, angle-irons interposed ybetween said section and center-sills and terminating he- `tween said holsters and dropfplates having their upper portions interposed between and secured to said sectionand center-sills from the end-sills and terminating between the holsters and end-sills, and means attached thereto for supporting draft-rigging.

l0. An underframe for cars comprising end-sills, holsters, center-sills extending from end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I-beam section extending from end to end of the underframe over said holsters, and plates interposed between saidsection and center-sills having the lower portion of their rear ends cut away and said ends ex tending over the holsters and haring the upper portion of their forward ends cut away and extending under the end-sills'.

1l. An undei'frame' for cars comprising end-sills,l holsters, centersills extending from end-.sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I-heain section extending between said center-sills over said bolstersfand plates interposed between said section and center-sills from the end-sills having the lower portion of their rear ends cut away and said ends extending over the holsters and having the upper portion of their forward ends cut away and extending unoer the end-sills, and

means secured thereto for supporting draftrigging.

' 12. An underfi'ame for cars comprising end-sills, holsters, parallel center-sills extending from end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal -heam section` extending between said leo 20 angle-irons 14. An under-frame for cars comprlsing" 45 I-heam section secured thereto,

50 cut away 55 hea'm sectionhaving center-sills over said holsters and having its ends terminate adjacent said end-sills, anglelrons interposed between said I-hearn section and, said center-sills having their ends terminating between said holsters, and dropplates interposed between said I- heam sections'and sa'id center-sills between the ends of saidangle-irons and said end-sills. 13. An nnderframe for cars comprising lo end-sills, holsters, parallel centersills ex-v tween said I-beain section and said centersills having their ends terminating between said holsters and having `the underpart of their rear portions cut away and extending over said holsters from the ends of said to said end-sills.`

end-sills, bolsters, center-sills extending from end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I- beam section extending from en d to end of the underframe over said holsters and having its `ends terminate adjacent said endsills, angle irons located betweenl the -bolstersand secured to the inner sides of the center-sills, and having the fianges ot' said I-heam section secured thereto, and dropplatesinterposed between said section' and -center-sills and extending rearwardly from saidjend-sills and having the lower portions of their rear ends cut away and the upper portions extending backwardy overthebolsters.

l5. An underframe forA cars .comprising end-sills, holsters, center -sills extending from end-sill to end-sill, the longitudinal I- 40 beam section extending over ,said holsters and having its ends termi-nate'adjacent said end-sills, angle-irons located between the holsters and secured to the inner sides of saidi center-sills and having the flanges of said and droplates interposed between said I-heain sec1 iion and center;si`lls and having their rear en'ds terminate adjacent said holsters and of their forward ends and extending forward under the the upper portions end-sills;

16. An underfraine for cars comprisingcenter sills extending end-sills, holsters, from end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I- tending from end to end of thc underframe over said holsters, and angle-irons locatedbetween the holsters and secured to the inner sides of the center-sills, and haring the lflan-ges of said I-heain section secured thereto, and drop-plates having the lower portions ofi-.their rear ends cut awajy and said Copies of this patentrmay be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner its weh horizontal exrear ends extending over the holsters and having the upper portions of their forward ends cut away and extending under the endsills.

17. An underframe for cars comprising end-sills, holsters, center-sills extending from end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I- heain section extending over said holsters having its ends terminate adjacent said endsllsand its web horizontal and connecting said center-sills, and horizontal tie-plates interposed between said holsters and centersills having their inner longitudinal edges flanged upward and. lapping against and seciired to' the inner vertical surfaces of said center-sills.

J8. An underframe for c ars comprising end-sills, holsters,

beam section extending over said holsters having its ends terminate adjacent said endlsills and its web horizontal and connecting said center-sills, drop-plates interposed he- -tween said I-heam section and center-sills and extending from the end-sills hach ,over and terminating adjacent said.holsters, and horizontal tie-plates interposed between said holsters and center-sills having their inner lonffitudinal edges flanged upward between, said drop-plates and center-sills and secured thereto.

center sills extending from end-sill to end-sill, a longitudinal I 19. An underframe for cars comprising holsters, end-sills, a huilt-up center-sill including parallel longitudinal woo-den beams extending from end-sill to end-sill, metal angles lapping against and secured to thel 20` Anundert'rume for cars comprising holsters, a huilt-up :center-sill including a lon itudinally'disposed- I-heam section exten ing from end to endof the nndertrame over said holsters, and parallel longitudinal wooden beams extending'from endto end ot the c ar, and metal angles secured to the inner sides of said wooden heains vand ter-v minating adjacent the holsters and to which thelanges of said I-heain section are'suit- '115 ahlj7 secured. I

In witness whereof we have hereunto set Our'hands this 8th dav of Mav, 1914.

EDWIN G. CHENOWETH. J ULIUS J. ACKEL. GEORGE A. HULL, lVitnesses FRANK D. Trioamsox, I l "LoiinN Cr. l\Ii'rCi-ii-:LL.

of Patents, 

